have premises for social activities
while the places with such premises
(for example, Plovdiv Detention
Centre) do not have social workers to
perform them.
Transform the medical centres into health
offices within the meaning of the
Health Act.
Transform the specialised hospitals for
persons deprived of liberty into
hospitals for long-term treatment.
The long-standing problem
with cockroaches and bed-bugs at
places for deprivation of liberty
Close down Debelt Open-Type Prison
Hostel.
continues and this has been found at
all places inspected – even in places
where major renovation works were
completed.
In
this
regard,
recommendations have been issued to the DGEP to find alternative ways to deal
with the issue.
The NPM has found persistent prerequisites for violation of the secrecy
of correspondence.
According to the NPM, the most serious problem at prisons is medical
care. It should be noted that the long-standing promises of the Ministry of Justice
to reform the health system in the penitentiary system and amend the Execution
of Punishments and Detention in Custody Act were not fulfilled in 2020 either.
The NPM reiterates that such action is critical to identify the existing problems
in the system and set out the actual possibilities to organise the health services for
persons deprived of liberty. There has been no improvement in the health care for
persons deprived of liberty. In 2020, 52 persons died in comparison to 36 in 2017.
Medical specialists are continuing to leave the system. Over the past year, support
was provided for the activities related to outpatient medical care and 20 medical
specialists were hired under service contracts; general practitioners were selected
ex officio in line with the National Framework Agreement.
It should be noted that, in the long term from 2001 to 2020, there has been
a lasting downward trend in the number of persons suffering from tuberculosis.
In 2020, a screening examination for hepatitis C was carried out at Sofia Prison
with the assistance of a non-governmental organisation.
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